Bricks for a Wall
Enter the wall size and brick type. Deduct openings in the options.
Concrete
Brick Calculator
Quick answer: bricks per ft² = 144 ÷ [(brick length + joint) × (brick height + joint)]. Modular brick with a 3/8 in joint gives 144 ÷ (8 × 2.625) = 6.86 bricks per ft², so a 186 ft² wall needs 1,276 bricks — 1,340 with 5% extra.
Estimate bricks for a wall, veneer, or garden wall from its size and the brick type. Openings are deducted, and the result includes pallets and the mortar to lay them.
One brick plus its joint
How to calculate how many bricks you need
Every brick in a wall occupies its own face plus half of the mortar joint around it — which works out to one full joint on one side and one on the top. Divide one square foot (144 in²) by that module and you have bricks per square foot.
144 ÷ [(L + j) × (H + j)] × net area
= bricks (L, H, j in inches; area in ft²), then add 5–10% extra
- Measure the wall length × height in feet for the gross area.
- Subtract openings — windows and doors — in square feet.
- Find bricks per ft² from the actual brick face and joint: modular 7-5/8 × 2-1/4 in with a 3/8 in joint is an 8 × 2-5/8 in module, so 144 ÷ 21 = 6.86.
- Multiply net area × bricks per ft², and by 2 for a double-wythe wall.
- Add extra for cuts and breakage, then divide by bricks per pallet.
How the mortar figure is derived
Each brick carries one bed joint the length of the brick plus a joint, and one head joint the height of the brick, both as deep as the brick's bed depth. Mortar per brick = j × depth × (L + j + H). For modular brick: 0.375 × 3.625 × (7.625 + 0.375 + 2.25) = 13.93 in³, or 8.1 ft³ per 1,000 bricks. That is the theoretical joint volume only; real use is higher because mortar falls off the trowel, squeezes into brick cores, and is left in the pan. The calculator adds a 50% allowance by default — raise it for cored brick with full head joints or if you are new to laying brick.
Worked example
A 24 ft × 9 ft brick veneer wall has two 3 × 5 ft windows. Modular brick, 3/8 in joints, 5% extra.
- Net area: 216 − 30 = 186 ft²
- Bricks: 186 × 6.857 = 1,275.4 → 1,340 with 5% extra, or about 2.7 pallets of 500
- Mortar: 1,275.4 × 13.93 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 10.28 ft³ theoretical; + 50% = 15.4 ft³
- That is 15.4 ÷ 0.67 = 24 bags of 80 lb premixed mortar, or about 6 bags of masonry cement with 15.4 ft³ (0.57 yd³) of sand
Bricks per square foot by brick size
3/8 in mortar joints, single wythe. Brick dimensions vary by manufacturer — check the actual size on the product sheet.
| Brick (L × H × bed depth, in) | Bricks per ft² | Bricks per 100 ft² | Mortar per 1,000 bricks (theoretical) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modular 7-5/8 × 2-1/4 × 3-5/8 | 6.86 | 686 | 8.1 ft³ |
| Standard 8 × 2-1/4 × 3-5/8 | 6.55 | 655 | 8.4 ft³ |
| Queen 7-5/8 × 2-3/4 × 3 | 5.76 | 576 | 7.0 ft³ |
| King 9-5/8 × 2-5/8 × 3 | 4.80 | 480 | 8.2 ft³ |
| Utility 11-5/8 × 3-5/8 × 3-5/8 | 3.00 | 300 | 12.3 ft³ |
Brick estimating tips
- Use actual, not nominal, dimensions. A "nominal 8 in" modular brick is 7-5/8 in long so that brick plus a 3/8 in joint equals 8 in. Using 8 in plus a joint undercounts by about 5%.
- Joint size changes the count. Going from a 3/8 in to a 1/2 in joint drops modular brick from 6.86 to about 6.45 per ft² and raises mortar use. Enter the joint your mason will actually tool.
- Blend from several pallets. Brick color varies within and between pallets. Pull from three or more as you lay so the wall does not show bands of color — and order enough at once to come from the same production run.
- Don't forget the extras a veneer needs. Brick veneer needs wall ties, flashing, and weep holes at the base and above openings, and a steel lintel or other support over each opening.
- Pallets are often sold whole. If your count is 2.7 pallets, ask whether the supplier sells partial pallets or loose brick before rounding up to 3.
- Mortar is cheap insurance. Running out mid-course leaves a cold joint and a color shift. It is better to have a spare bag than to stop and mix a batch from a different lot of sand.
Brick estimating FAQ
How many bricks are in a square foot?
With a 3/8 in mortar joint, modular brick (7-5/8 × 2-1/4 in face) works out to 6.86 bricks per square foot and standard 8 × 2-1/4 in brick to 6.55. Larger units need fewer: about 5.76 for queen, 4.80 for king, and 3.00 for utility brick.
How many bricks do I need for a 10 x 8 wall?
A 10 by 8 ft wall is 80 sq ft. In modular brick with 3/8 in joints that is 80 × 6.86 = 549 bricks, or about 576 with 5 percent extra for cuts and breakage. Deduct any windows or doors before adding the extra.
How many bricks are on a pallet?
It depends on the manufacturer and brick size; about 500 modular bricks per pallet or cube is a common figure, but some plants package more or fewer. Ask your supplier and enter their count, since pallets are often sold whole.
How much mortar do I need for 1,000 bricks?
The joints around 1,000 modular bricks with 3/8 in joints hold about 8.1 cu ft of mortar in theory. With a 50 percent allowance for droppings, cores and leftover batches, plan on about 12 cu ft, which is roughly 19 bags of 80 lb premixed mortar at 0.67 cu ft per bag.
How much extra brick should I order?
Add 5 percent for plain walls with few cuts and up to 10 percent for walls with many openings, corners, or patterns. Ordering a few extra also gives you matching bricks for future repairs, since colors vary between production runs.
How we built this calculator: results use the standard volume, area, and coverage formulas shown on this page, with typical U.S. material densities, bag yields, and waste factors that you can override. Written and checked by the YardsCalculator editorial team. Last reviewed: October 2026.